Healthy Living

Life is too short to waste. In other words, we owe it to ourselves to make the most of our time on planet earth. That doesn’t mean living outside the zone by getting drunk every day, eating junk all the time, being a party animal, smoking excessively if at all, or taking unorthodox substances that could make you OD and snuff it. One area you could improve for healthy living is muscle mass.

Muscle mass is vital for longevity because it enhances metabolic health, boosts cardiovascular health, prevents falls, supports bone density, and even influences cognitive function. Greater muscle mass improves blood sugar regulation, increases metabolism, lowers inflammation, and serves as a storage for amino acids for illness recovery, all of which contribute to a longer, healthier life and a more independent future.

Actually, I was diagnosed for having type 2 diabetes several years ago because my reading after a blood test reached 136. Long story, but my doctor at the time put me on medicine to reduce it. Then I discovered that high blood sugar could have been normal for me, as I’m a weight trainer and at the time my weight was a little high. If he had put me on a diet it could have been sorted without having to take medicine.

I read recently, it's normal for glucose levels to rise temporarily after heavy weight training because strenuous exercise triggers the release of stress hormones like adrenaline, which signals the liver to release stored glucose into the bloodstream to provide energy. This phenomenon, known as postexercise hyperglycemia, is a normal physiological response to intense anaerobic activity, though a subsequent drop in blood sugar may occur later. 

Once you are on medicine for certain problems like diabetes, if you stop, it can cause your situation to get worse. Once you are on drugs, careful planning needs to be adhered to in order for you to be are able to reverse the condition, if at all.

Can people living with diabetes build muscle? The answer is an emphatic yes – they can and they should! Regular weight-bearing exercise can do wonders for your muscle and bone health. Strong muscles and bones protect against injury and improve balance and coordination. Bodybuilding can help you lower your blood sugar, lose weight, reduce belly fat, and reduce your risk of heart disease. 

All the best!

Prof. Carl Boniface

Vocabulary builder:

Amino acids = are the fundamental building blocks that form proteins in all living organisms. They are organic compounds containing an amino group (-NH2) and a carboxylic acid group (-COOH). When proteins are digested, they break down into amino acids, which the body then uses to create new proteins and perform other vital functions. There are 20 different types of amino acids, some of which must be obtained through diet and are called essential amino acids. 

OD = to take an overdose (= a dangerously large amount) of a drug: She OD'd on heroin and died. 

Snuff it (phrasal verb) = means to die, especially in a sudden or unexpected way. It is a British informal idiom and a synonym for other slang terms like "kick the bucket" or "buy the farm". 

If at all = is often used to make negatives stronger. It indicates that something is unlikely to happen, or rarely happens, and that it will occur in a negative or restricted way if it does happen. The use of if at all emphasizes notions of scarcity, restriction, smallness, etc.